


Meet the Curator

by ResidentAnchor



Series: Short Stories and Prompts [3]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Curator!Patton, M/M, Roman gets mentioned, SingleParent!Virgil, Virgil's ex is a butt, but don't mind her, kid!Logan, moxiety - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-16
Updated: 2019-04-16
Packaged: 2020-01-15 02:06:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18489073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ResidentAnchor/pseuds/ResidentAnchor
Summary: Virgil wouldn’t give up his son Logan for anything in the world. He struggles as a single dad but every hardship is worth it. Then, he meets Patton, a mutual friend of Roman's.





	Meet the Curator

It was in rare moments that Virgil couldn’t regret the path he chose to get to where he was now. When little Logan was coloring with a single crayon across a page in his coloring book while singing the alphabet, he was content. Or when Logan gave Virgil a drawing he managed to sign himself, or even when Virgil helped Logan ride a bike without training wheels... Virgil held nothing in his heart but love. 

His ex who failed to convince Virgil to put Logan up for adoption after he was born had left them when Virgil wouldn’t budge. She vanished overnight so Virgil couldn’t even ask for child support while he struggled to keep a job and raise a newborn by himself. Virgil didn’t have much family left to help, though his good friend Roman was probably half the reason Virgil made out alright so far.  
  
Logan was a curious child, always asking questions but never satisfied with answers. Virgil would always try saving up to take Logan places like the zoo to let him burn his excess energy while being able to learn and ask questions. He couldn’t afford to do it as much as he would have liked, but he had managed a few small trips which Logan always enjoyed.  
  
When Roman introduced a friend to Virgil, it was a nice change of pace. Virgil spent so much time talking to Logan that talking to others his age was a nice break. Although, sometimes talking with Patton felt like he was still with his son. Bright eyes and burning through questions faster than he could answer, Virgil managed to keep somewhat of a conversation with Patton because of past experiences.   
  
When Patton said he worked in a museum as a curator, Virgil was a bit surprised. He had mentioned how Logan liked learning and he was always looking for new places to take him that weren’t so strenuous on his wallet.  
  
“Oh!” Patton perked up, grinning. “I work at a museum! I’m a curator, you should totally bring Logan! I can get you special passes for the day, too! My treat!”  
  
Virgil tried turning down the offer, it was far too generous of him, but Patton insisted. He traded numbers with Virgil to keep in touch and set up a date. Of course, Patton had texted immediately with a joke. After hearing Virgil laugh, he continued to send as many jokes as he could. Virgil’s phone would go off so often that Logan would perk up and ask what the joke was, even when it wasn’t Patton.   
  
They had finally set up a date to meet up in the middle of the week when it would be slow when Virgil discovered the first of many problems. When he explained to Logan that they were going somewhere special, he started asking questions. Virgil had no idea what the museum actually was, and a quick internet search came up rather empty. So, he told Logan that it was a surprise and that he would find out when he got there.  
  
Then after hearing Patton would be there, he asked if it was a playdate. Virgil tried not to panic at the mention of a ‘date’. Logan didn’t play with many kids his age and he had no idea of the small crush his father started to harbor for the curator.  
  
Patton was nice. He was easy to talk to and very friendly. He was great with kids, too! When he met Logan, he kneeled down and introduced himself and they got along so well! Patton wasn’t put off by Logan’s many questions and answered them the best he could. Heck, his son liked the man, that was impressive enough! Virgil couldn’t help it, his heart leaped and got excited at the thought of him sometimes. It was a simple crush, that much Virgil couldn’t deny.  
  
When they arrived at the location Patton had given, Virgil was very confused, to say the least. It almost didn’t even look like a museum. If it weren’t for the signs, he would have thought the bus dropped him off in the wrong place. However, Logan was excited and tugging on his father’s hand as he tried rushing into the building, staring up at the tall ceilings in awe.  
  
They found the desk and Virgil asked for Patton, just like he had been instructed. The woman at the counter immediately knew who they were and handed them badges. Logan was thrilled to get his and stared at it in awe. They wrote his name on it and put it on a star lanyard small enough to fit him. He thanked them and Virgil couldn’t hide the smile on his face. He owed Patton big time for this.  
  
Logan and Virgil gave their thanks and went to wait for Patton on the side before Virgil stopped. “Oh, sorry. I almost forgot.” He turned back to the receptionist. “What was the name of this place again?”  
  
“It’s the play museum!”  
  
Virgil froze and his jaw dropped a bit before Logan grabbed his hand, tugging at it and pulling him away. “Daaad, come on! I wanna wait over there by the fish tank!” Virgil stumbled and turned, allowing his son to pull him over to the tank built into the wall. “Ohh, cool! Look, that one looks like it has a funny nose! Oh, can fish get boogers?”  
  
Virgil humored little Logan by reading off the signs until they heard their names being called. Patton smiled and walked closer, his outfit much more formal than Virgil was used to. Though, the colorful tie sort of counteracted the button down Patton was wearing.   
  
“You made it!”  
  
“This place is so cool! What can we do first?” Logan looked ready to bolt off, but Virgil was faster. He reached out and placed a hand on his son’s shoulder, adding a small bit of pressure as a silent warning. Logan kept glancing around, but he relaxed in response.   
  
“Thank you for this, Patton.”  
  
“Yeah! Thank you Mr. Patton!” Logan smiled up at him before grabbing his father’s hand. “Can we go now, dad?”  
  
“Sure, buddy. We got all day, don’t worry.” Logan was practically sprinting as Virgil scolded him to not tug on his arm so hard.   
  
“You’re too strong, you’ll rip it right off!”  
  
“Eww, no I won’t!” Logan giggled.   
  
Eventually, they got to a section that looked like a massive play area. Everything seemed interactive and Logan didn’t hesitate to jump right in. He immediately tried to figure out how everything worked and Virgil could only think about how tired he’d be carrying him home and how well they would both sleep.   
  
The light in Logan’s eyes as he played was enough to make every hardship worth it to see his son happy. Virgil knew he’d be smiling for a week after today. “Really, Patton, I can’t thank you enough. This means so much to me, I owe you one.”  
  
“Aww, of course not, Virge! Don’t worry about it none!” Patton was watching Logan discover a series of buttons before deciding which one to press. The lights started changing colors and he looked around in awe before pressing another one. “I love working here and seeing all the kids get excited. It’s the best part.”  
  
“So, you’re a museum curator in what is pretty much a giant playground?”  
  
Patton’s laugh caused Virgil’s heart to jump and threatened to flutter out of his chest. “Yeah, pretty much! Best job ever, right?”  
  
“It certainly is very you.”  
  
“DAD! Look!” Logan had climbed a series of stairs and found some levers that moved a giant statue on a wall.  _“Logan doesn’t have to clean his room!”_  The statue’s mouth moved up and down as Logan giggled. “Thank you, mister giant!”  
  
Virgil huffed and crossed his arms. “Well, he does today! That is if he wants to be able to come back, he will!”  
  
“Okay, I promise! I’ll make it so clean, you’ll see!” Logan hopped down the stairs and ran off. Just seeing him run around was enough to make Virgil tired.  
  
They followed along and Patton pointed out a few things while Virgil and Logan got a closer look. It seemed that everything was interactive in some way and Virgil found himself playing and following Logan as best he could. They were both having loads of fun until Patton suggested the food court for a break before they continued on.  
  
Virgil ordered a few slices of pizza and had to fight Patton to be able to pay. Once they got to their table, Patton huffed and stared Virgil down as Logan didn’t hesitate to eat.   
  
“What? Are you really that mad I paid for my food?”  
  
Patton shrugged and leaned in a bit. “I mean, no? But I wanted to pay!”  
  
“You got us in for free today, Patton. I still owe you for that. I couldn’t let you buy us food as well.”  
  
Patton took a bite of his pizza before looking back at Virgil. He smiled and leaned in, the look on his face made Virgil’s heart jump in worry. “Okay, but I know how you can make it up to me if you want.”  
  
“Name it.”  
  
Patton’s smirk fell a bit and he leaned back, staring down at his pizza. “You don’t have to! Feel free to say no, but... Let me buy your food next time?”  
  
“Next time we’re here? Deal.”  
  
“No! No, though, that too if you’ll let me. I meant, uh...” Nervously, Patton licked his lips. “Next time as in just the two of us? Maybe this weekend? You could ask Roman to watch Logan for a little bit, maybe?”  
  
“Like a playdate?” Both adults turned to Logan who was about halfway through his slice of pizza already. “I can’t come?”  
  
“Well, not on this one! But you can definitely invite me out on other ones in the future if that’s okay?”  
  
Virgil’s ears and face felt really warm as Patton peeked up at him through his bangs. Patton’s glasses had slid down his nose a bit, his eyes silently asking for some sort of answer. “This, uh... would be a date, right?” Patton smiled a bit and nodded. “Oh. Uh... Okay.”  
  
“Okay?” Patton sat up tall, eager and excited. “Really?!”  
  
“Yeah. Yeah, definitely. I’d love that.”  
  
“Yes! Oh, I’ve been trying to get the courage to do that for weeks! I feel  _so_ much better!”  
  
Virgil didn’t get to ask anything else as he felt a tug on his sleeve. “Hey, dad?”  
  
Virgil smiled down at Logan. “Yeah?”  
  
“When you go on your playdate with Mr. Patton, can Roman and I come back here? This place is so cool! I want to show him the space room!”  
  
“Maybe, buddy.” Virgil smiled and brushed his hair out of his face. “You two might need a chaperone, though!”  
  
Patton chuckled and reached over, taking one of Virgil’s hands in his own. “What’s a chapter own?” Logan was a bit upset when they both burst out laughing, but Patton bought them a scoop of ice cream and Logan was gracious enough to forgive him.  _This_ time, at least.


End file.
